Dreamer (The Dream World Chronicles Book 1)

by Camille Peters

  The corners of his lips lifted. “In a manner of speaking.”

  My confusion only deepened. “What do you mean?”

  Instead of answering, he eagerly stepped forward. I pressed myself further against the trunk so that its rough bark embedded into my back.

  “Don’t come any closer.”

  He immediately froze. “Am I making you uncomfortable?”

  He’d been doing so from the moment I’d caught him watching me from the trees yesterday, though admittedly uncomfortable was not the precise word to describe how he was making me feel. But because I had no other, I managed a breathless nod. He hastily backed several steps away, relieving me from some of his rather overwhelming presence. I released a breath of relief.

  But even after he’d stepped away he didn’t stop staring at me, looking at me as if he’d finally found what he’d spent a lifetime searching for. I couldn’t fathom why he’d give me such a look when, for all I knew, we were strangers.

  I wriggled beneath his perusal. “Please stop.”

  He obediently lowered his eyes, but only for a moment before peeking up at me again, his green gaze filled with an emotion that took me a moment to decipher…recognition.

  I frowned. “You’re looking at me as if you know me, but I don’t see how that can be; we’ve never met.” Yet somehow, in a strange way, it almost felt as if we had. I stared back, hoping doing so would help me solve the mystery behind this strange connection we shared. “Who are you?”

  He tilted his head, his gaze penetrating. “That is the very question I was about to ask you, one of many. You’re rather intriguing with all the mysteries that surround you—you appear to reside on Earth, and yet you can see me, which means you also possess magic. It’s…fascinating.”

  I quirked my brow. “I assure you that my seeing you, both now and in my bedroom last night, is a far more pressing concern.”

  This time his lips fully lifted in a rather adorable crooked half-smile, one I felt a strange ownership of, as if every one he’d given had and always would belong to me. “Even so, seeing you now has been the most unexpected surprise, for it’s placed both of us on a path that will forever change everything.”

  I ached to ask him what he meant, but the last thing I wanted to do was extend our encounter…even though at the same time I never wanted it to end, a rather confusing paradox.

  The Nightmare was still watching me, looking as if he anticipated whatever I had to say. I narrowed my eyes. “You didn’t answer my question. Whatever surprise you’re feeling is nothing compared to the one I experienced when I awoke last night to discover an intruder in my room. Do you have an explanation?”

  He lowered his eyes in clear remorse. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to frighten you. I only…“

  He trailed off with nothing more than a guilty shrug…and another half-smile that pleaded for me to forgive him. It faltered at my continued scowl. He cleared his throat and glanced up at the leafy boughs above us.

  “I know I have no right to inquire when I’m not forthcoming with my own explanations, but perhaps you can humor me and tell me what you were doing up in that tree?”

  I bit my lip and warily glanced up. “Why do you want to know?”

  “Because it’s where I sensed a strong surge of magic moments before encountering you, the second one in two days.” He gave me a knowing look, as if he already suspected the magic had come from me.

  My heart pattered wildly and I silently cursed myself for allowing my draw to dreams to cause me to behave so recklessly after Stardust had warned me there was a Nightmare lurking nearby. From what we’d spoken of about my powers, I knew enough to know that they were unique in her world, and thus had to be kept a secret at all costs. Surely nothing good could come from attracting a Nightmare’s attention, no matter how drawn I felt to him.

  The Nightmare was still awaiting an answer, eying me with open curiosity. “It appears your trust is something I must earn.”

  He’d never earn my trust…even though for some reason I wanted to give it. Thoroughly confusing. I folded my arms firmly across my chest, as if I could protect myself from these irrational impulses. “You can begin by telling me why you were trespassing in my bedroom last night.”

  He bit his lip. “I wasn’t trespassing, per se…” He eyed my unconvinced frown and actually chuckled. “Alright, perhaps I was doing a bit of that, but in my defense I’d mistaken you for a Mortal, to whom I’m invisible. My presence in your bedroom was simply me fulfilling my duty to create a dream. I was stunned to discover you could see me.”

  His penetrating gaze became searching, as if trying to discover the answers he sought to such an anomaly. His brow furrowed.

  “It certainly is a puzzle. I initially wove a dream for you to test a suspicion, but I’m only left with more questions. I know you saw my dream.”

  “I didn’t—” I began, but he talked over me.

  “You did, even though your being a possessor of magic should make such a feat impossible.” But the riddle only seemed to excite him, causing his eyes to glisten. “I must learn more about you.”

  First the man claimed to know me, now he wanted to learn more about me. This encounter only grew more and more strange. But even more puzzling was my reaction to his inquiry—my entire being wanted nothing more than to give him my name, but I fought against the irrational desire.

  “I’d rather not share that information with you.”

  He stepped forward, bridging the distance that was already too small. “Please, I must know.”

  I rigidly shook my head. He sighed, clearly frustrated, though understanding filled his gaze.

  “Considering the circumstances in which we’re meeting, I can’t expect anything more, at least until I’ve earned your trust. And I will. I promise.”

  I raised a skeptical eyebrow, which only made him smile, as if he found my doubt highly amusing.

  “Even if you won’t tell me your name, could you at least tell me whether you’re a Dreamer or a Nightmare?” He held his breath as he awaited my answer.

  I scrunched my brow. “I—” I hesitated. I wanted to tell him I was a Dreamer, yet in truth I had no idea who I truly was. How could I be either if I didn’t belong to the world he and Stardust came from? Even though the more I learned about it, the more I yearned for nothing more than to be a part of it.

  When I’d remained silent too long, his expression softened, gentling the spiderweb designs lacing his features. “Don’t you know?”

  “Of course I do.” But my voice shook, betraying my lie. “I—I’m—” I sighed as I gave up the fight. “The truth is I don’t actually know.”

  His curiosity deepened at my admission. He took another cautious step closer, the look in his eyes compelling me to trust him. I held my breath as he paused only a foot away, his penetrating gaze seeping into mine, searching…then his shoulders slumped.

  “You’re a Dreamer. How could you be…? Blast, this is most unfair.”

  “What’s wrong with being a Dreamer?” I asked in a small voice.

  “Nothing at all,” he said hastily, gently. “It simply complicates things.” He looked as if he wanted to say more, but after a moment’s hesitation he closed his mouth with a sigh. “This isn’t going at all like I’d hoped. Forgive me for my poor reaction, but allow me to assure you it doesn’t matter you’re a Dreamer; it changes nothing.”

  A look filled his eyes in that moment, one of such acceptance. No one, not even Mother, had ever given me such a look. It only deepened the strange connection between us, one I wanted to explain but couldn’t find the words for.

  I yearned to question him further—not just about who he was, but why he claimed to know me and how he knew I was a Dreamer, as well as what being a Dreamer actually meant—but I didn’t have the chance.

  He suddenly cocked his ear, as if listening to something I couldn’t hear, before he tensed. In one movement he seized my arm and hurried me deeper into the trees. Despite the str
ange shudder that rippled over me at his touch, I immediately tried wriggling away.

  “What are you doing? Let me go.”

  “Shh, you must stay quiet and out of sight.”

  Before I could protest further, he left me behind a large pine and returned to the edge of the forest. I promptly stepped out to follow him, but I’d only gone a few feet when he heard my footsteps and hurried back to my side.

  He rested his hands on my shoulders to gently push me back behind the tree, his touch strangely soothing. “Please, you must stay hidden. I’ll explain why when they’re gone.”

  They? I ached to argue further, but after a reassuring squeeze of my shoulders he left me again. I hesitated before obediently ducking behind the tree. I peered around the trunk just as two men shrouded in outfits of grey appeared on the edge of the forest just as the Nightmare emerged.

  My gasp escaped before I could stop it. I slapped my hand over my mouth and hastily ducked out of sight. Silence hung thickly in the pine-scented air, the only sound being my palpitating pulse.

  “Did you hear something?” one of the men asked the Nightmare.

  “No,” the Nightmare said smoothly. “Are you here for the investigation?”

  The men were silent a moment more. I held my breath and waited, praying they wouldn’t investigate the suspicious sound they’d heard and discover me.

  “We were sent by the Council.” I heard them turn away but I remained frozen, not wanting to risk peeking out from behind my hiding place just to watch. “We’re surprised to find you here, Nightmare Darius.”

  Darius…so that was the Nightmare’s name.

  “I was sent,” Nightmare Darius explained. “With such a high level of unexplained magic on earth, is it any wonder the Nightmare Council wants to look into the matter personally?”

  My pulse pounded more rapidly. So the Nightmare had come to investigate me on behalf of the Nightmare Council, whoever they were. Though I’d been right not to trust him, the confirmation made me deeply sad, as if I’d just lost a good friend.

  I gave my head another rigid shake. Stop thinking such ridiculous things.

  I took a chance to peer around the trunk, where I found the two men in grey with their backs facing me. “What are your findings?” one asked Darius. “Have you discovered the source of that unexpected surge of power?”

  Darius tensed as his gaze briefly flickered to my dream-watching tree where I’d captured my dream, but otherwise he betrayed no other outward emotion. “I’m afraid not. My only conclusions are that it was an unusual power, one I’ve not yet seen, but its source remains a mystery.”

  I frowned. What could his motivation possibly be to lie?

  One of the grey men heaved an impatient sigh. “Surely you have some theories.”

  Nightmare Darius nodded. “Certainly. I’d be happy to share them.”

  The two men began asking several urgent questions, which Darius answered smoothly yet vaguely. I quickly tuned out their discussion, already made more difficult to follow with the loud pounding of my heart in my ears, and scanned the forest. Could I risk using their distraction to my advantage and escape? For even if I avoided detection from the strange men Darius was conversing with, I had an unsettling feeling he wasn’t finished with his own interrogation.

  But the forest was utterly still and the undergrowth thick, making it impossible for any movement to go unnoticed. With a quiet sigh I slowly sank to the ground, where I waited, eyes closed, taking several deep breaths in an attempt to calm my panic.

  I tensed at the sound of approaching footsteps, soft but unmistakable. They paused near me. “Are you alright?”

  My eyes jerked open to find Darius crouching in front of me. “Are they gone?” I asked wearily.

  He nodded. “It was quite the feat to get them to leave before they’d had a chance to look around, but they’ll be back, undoubtedly to conduct their own investigation after my vague answers to their prodding questions.” His frown deepened. “Whatever you were doing in that tree was powerful enough to attract the Investigations Team’s unwanted attention.”

  The Investigations Team? The name sounded familiar…and then I remembered it was the group of detectives Stardust aspired to join. My blood chilled. “Are they investigating me?” That was undoubtedly very bad.

  He pursed his lips. “If you’re responsible for that strong surge of magic that occurred shortly after dawn, then I’m afraid so. Just what were you doing?”

  I couldn’t tell him, not when he was clearly conducting his own investigation, which only gave me more reason to distrust him. Despite his covering for me, I’d have to remain on my guard.

  He seemed unsurprised by my refusal to cooperate, but he still looked disappointed. “I know you’re hiding something. Won’t you confide in me?”

  My hand instinctively cradled the dream tucked within my apron pocket. I hastily yanked away the moment Darius’s gaze flickered down. Understanding replaced his confusion.

  “Do your secrets have anything to do with this?” He withdrew the jar he’d stolen from me the night before. I gasped and lunged for it, but he held it out of reach. “Not so fast.”

  “Give that back! It’s mine.” I made to grab it again, but once more he held it away.

  “I promise I’ll return it, but now is not the time. Whatever it is will be much safer with me should the Investigations Team return. Trust me.”

  And he pocketed it. I glared at where it’d disappeared before turning the force of my anger onto him. “Just what game are you playing with me?”

  “I’m not playing any game,” he said. “I only want to help you.”

  “And you’re doing such a wonderful job.” First he’d spied on me, then he’d snuck into my bedroom to give me a frightening nightmare, only to steal my dream. I glowered at his bulging pocket a moment more before tightening my jaw. “I don’t like you.”

  He looked as if I’d slapped him. I ignored his wounded expression and stood, ignoring Darius’s offered hand. I brushed the loose pine needles off my dress with as much dignity as I could before straightening and, after a final parting glare, I lifted my chin and headed for the edge of the forest.

  I should have known he wouldn’t let me go so easily. He hurried after me. “Wait, this can’t be it. We just found one another.”

  “Lucky me.” I emerged from the forest and turned up the path that led to my cottage, but before I could take a step further he seized my wrist and tugged me to a stop. I spun on him. “Let me go, Darius.”

  He seemed startled to hear me say his name, but his surprise quickly melted into another crooked smile. “Don’t go yet.”

  “If you truly want to earn my trust, then forcing me to stay against my will is not the way to go about it.”

  He released me immediately, leaving a shadow of warmth encircling my wrist. I tried to shake off the feeling but it clung to me rather stubbornly.

  “Are you going to return my jar?” I asked, not liking the idea of a captured dream in the possession of one so suspicious.

  He tilted his head. “Are you going to tell me what’s in it?”

  “There’s nothing in it.”

  “Then why do you want it?” His grin became triumphant at my glower. It appeared I’d lost this particular battle.

  I sighed. “Fine, keep it, and may it instill the proper guilt of your theft and serve as a memento of this trying conversation.”

  “This conversation has been many things, but trying isn’t one of them.” He tipped his head back to search the sky. “As much as I want to linger, it’d be best if you left; we can’t risk the Investigations Team returning and discovering you or finding any information that would lead them to you…which means I must find any incriminating evidence first.”

  Before I could stop him, he caught hold of the lowest branch of my dream-watching tree and hoisted himself up. He crawled expertly across the limbs, pausing occasionally to search along the branches.

  My heart pounded ha
rder the longer his perusal. I stood on tiptoe, straining to see what he was doing without actually climbing up after him. I wasn’t sure whether my dream catching had left any traces, but if it had, I didn’t want them to be discovered by him.

  He sensed my nervous gaze and glanced down with a wry smile. “Any dream dust you might have left behind would have disappeared by now. If that’s the case, then I commend you for thoroughly distracting me so I couldn’t look for it sooner. And if it’s something else…”

  He waited patiently for a moment, as if he really expected me to give him any hints as to what I’d been doing in that tree. When I remained silent, he sighed.

  “This would be so much easier if you’d simply tell me what I’m searching for.”

  I snorted. “Absolutely not.”

  “But it’d be better for you if I was the one who discovered what you were up to rather than—”

  “Don’t be ridiculous; I have no reason to trust you.”

  His teasing smile faded into a disappointed frown. “Even though I protected you from the Investigations Team?”

  I rolled my eyes. “I may know little about the world you come from, but from what I’ve gathered, you and the Investigations Team are on the same side, making us enemies.”

  His frown deepened. “The Investigations Team is impartial. Even if they weren’t, one thing is certain: we’re anything but enemies. Any cooperation I appeared to give them was simply done to avoid their suspicion so they wouldn’t discover you.” He returned to combing the branches for clues, effectively contradicting his words.

  I watched him for another anxious moment, even though I needed to use this much-needed opportunity to escape before he interrogated me further…or worse, found incriminating evidence to use against me. But the invisible lure connecting me to him kept me rooted to the spot. I waited anxiously, wringing my hands and frantically praying he wouldn’t discover anything.

  I tensed when he finally climbed down from the tree, his expression impassive. “Did you find anything?” I demanded.